The Achromatics: Before we hit the stage…

When you come out to Lula Lounge on February 5, you’re going to see an incredible show. We’re super excited to bring it all to you – eleven original songs filled with funky grooves, catchy melodies and horn lines, and a LOT of dancing. Plus, our friends in Brother Levon close out the night with their own brand of rock and funk, so it won’t just be us bringing you the hottest dance party of the winter.

But what goes into a show like that? Here’s a little sneak peek into what happens with the music before we hit the stage…

Everyone in the band contributes to the writing – with “Let It Play”, the tune I’m playing, it’s a collaboration between Jay Vazquez (gtr/vox), Shannon Graham (sax/vox), and Matt De Luca (bass). So after getting together (in person, or not) to try out some ideas, they write it out for everyone to bring into a rehearsal…

…and then the band plays it, and offers suggestions on what should change – should the brass play through the pre-chorus, or should all the girls sing? What if we tried a half-time feel here? “Let It Play” is one of the first tunes The Achromatics played together, so it’s been through a number of different iterations – although this bass line has always been the same.

As we learn the tune, we’re also learning dance steps, standing in our rehearsal space. This part’s a lot of experimentation – someone will try something, and we all try to follow. Two-step? Grapevine? How do you dance through a 2/4 bar? These are the real questions…

And of course, you have to work on this stuff on your own too, because we’re memorizing everything for Sunday. Here’s me trying out the bass line to “Let It Play”, which, thankfully, is one of the easier things to remember!